Improvement in cboquetebies



` -attached to-a ,Wicket or arch. v

distance', i'n some cases nearly thc whole length of the held, (as atthe times when he has made a reach the'place where the clips are deposited, thereby consuming time. AAnother disadvantage is that theplayer @hitch faire @strut ffiriej.

e. LIVINGSTON MORSE', or HARRISON, NEW JERSEY.-

" Lafer@ Pagani Nq. 62,495; (zaza-z Ffa-ary 2c, 18er.

fmrnovrnrur 1N GBOQUBTBBIBS.

'.ro- ALL wnoM-Ir MarV coNcERN:-

Be it known that l, lIiIv-INos'rolv MORSE, of Harrison, Hudson county, State oi` New Jersey,A have invented ai newvand useful Improvement in the Game of Croquet and its Implements; and I hereby declare that the following is-a full-and'eimct description thereof', which will enable those skilledin the art to make andv use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawi:i', formingpartei' this specification, in which drawingi Figure 1 represents a croquet wicket or arch, numbered or marked according to my invention. Figure Zrepresents the same in reverse.

Figure 3 is a vertical section, which shows how the. pins or clips bearing proper numbers or marks'can be Figure 4 is a full-length side'view of a croquet mallet, the staif -cr handle of which has painted or stained thereon afseries of numbers or rings, or both, to correspond with the wickets on the field, and otherwise made according to my invention.

Figure 5 is Vn. view ofthe head of the mullet, part of thehandle being broken oi. Figure 6 represents a'strip or band, prepared seperately from the mallet, having on it the numbers'or fmarktocorrespond with the wicket, andotherwise so made that it can 'be axed to the mallet io'n its handle or elsewhere. v

In playingthe game o f croquet, it is; found, by unskillful players, and by such as have poor memories, tobc difficult to ,keep in mind their `true places in the field. A device which has been used to obviate this dllic'ulty consists of a clip colored' to correspond with the respective colrs adopted by the players, which clips are forked at their lower ends like clothes-pineto fit' over vthe tops of the wickets. They are put onthe'wiekets when the players havc'llriven their balls through, and their use is to help the players recollect the wickets they are at u res ectivvel One-oi` the defects or disadventa es in usino this device is that a.` la er is com elled to o some P Y g e P y .P d8

goo4 run, to`

must remember tocha'nge' his clip after he hasmadehis next arch or wicket; andfailing todo so, unless he-,ean provetlat-hevha's fairly gone through, he miistgo back tothe arch or wicket on which he'left his clip. This,

, therefore, is a constant cause of disputes; andthe use of such clips, colored as aforesaid, h as been, bymanyfvv "players, given up altogether; and players generally prefer tol rely on their memories alone toascertaiutheir i true positron,'rather than use a device which involves so much trouble. My invention relieves the players from@ burdening their memories with the recollection, unaided by outward or visible signs or marks, of their proper'.`

wicket or arch.- It also prevent-s the occurrence of disputes on that subject, and savesthelabor..snd time required for going across theiield after a clip, and does away with all uncertainty about the true'plaee 'in' theA Y' game of the several players, and furnishes a distinct designation for each wicket throughoutjhe game.`

The in yention consists in numbering or marking in some proper order the several wickeltsfof the series with appropriate numbers or marks, and -providing on the mallet a series of numbers er'marks crre'spondingwith the designations or numbers of' the wickets. By means of such tally on the mallet a plhyer can'register or record his game from time tc time, and prevent inaccuracies, and avoid thc delays and embarrassments that arise from disputes. While the game is in progress the players retain theinmalletsin their hands, and, consequently,

"by recording the game thereon, or their respective places in the 'game as it advances, each player is kept informed ofhis true position 'on the eld bythe more inspection of the tally on his mallet.

' The letter A designates a wicket, which has on its top a number or figure that designates its position onthel field relatively to the other wickets. In this example "the number or figure is made on a pin, B, whose lower end is forked, so that it can be attached to the wicket by springing its forks upon the top oi the wicket'. The top or head of the pin or clip is wide enough to receive on it the' proper number or gureeor-otlfer mark selected for designating it. Instead of jnumbering or designating thewickets by meansoemovablepins orclips,

they may be numbered or'designated by placing the characters used permanentlyv orf'the wickets. The oplx'isitgf.l

faces or sides of the pin's orclips B: or the oppositejside of the wickets, whenfthe. characters are 'put permanently' on thev wickets, are numbered or marked in accordance with the pcsitionsof't'he several wickets, c9nnting-from the turning stake.4 'It in not'mstcrisl what characters are employed for/.distinguishing the several' wicket! from, v

each other, provided that the)r are applicable tothe series. In this example the reverse side of the pin or clip,

seen in fig. 2, is marked 13, which number, for the purpose of this illustration, is Isupposed to' be the return 'f number of wicket Each wicket consequent-ly has two numbers lor 1nurks,ono on its front, that gives its vrelative place from the starting post, and another on the hacker reverse sideof the wicket, that gives its relative place from the turni-ng stake. One side `may hc designated by Roinan numerals, and the other by Arabie; or, one side may be numbered and the other lettered. "In addition to this provision for designating the relative order of the wickets, VI distinguish the characters on the outgoing ysidfilfrom those on the reverse or return side of theA wickets by making the former ol' a White or a light color mra duri; ground, and the latter of adark color on a light ground,l so as to have additional security against mistakes in .setting the wickets or 'placing the pins or clips onthem, and against the liability of players to become turned round or confused as to the direction .l in which they ought to drive their own balls. or those of their adversaries. Fig. 3 shows how the pin or clip D `is held on the wicket by means of its hforks, the forks being, for greater security, provided with a bolt and nut.

The mallet C is shown in figs. 4 and 5. The characters to correspond with those of the .wickets are in this example put on the handle, theleolors of the characters and of the ground being, if thought desirable, the same as tlhose'onthe ivickets. rlhe place of the turning stake is indicated on the taliy at S, where the series of eutgein-characters is separated freni that of the return characters. The nmllet is provided with an eiastic ring, D, which is moved along on the tally as the 'game proceeds; and, by covering,theren'ith'any of the characters, the position of the .player iu the game is indicated o'r recorded on jthe tally. Instead of an elastic movable ring, I lcan use, with likevresult's, a metallic' ring, or a slide, or a movable gauge, having the'characters marked on it; or, the tally can be let in the mallet by forming a groove therein, and so be protected from accidental misplacexnent. The scale or tally can he made separate from the uialle't on a strip oi metal, or other i material, which ca n be sold separately, and be' airxed to the mallet at pleasure.

l Having thus deseribedmy invention, what I desire to 'secure by Letters Pateut,iis-

1. The pinsor clips B, or their equivalents, inarked as specified, in combination with the wickets or arches of croquet, substantially as set forth. f

2. Izl'tlso` claim the combination, with such pins or'clips, marked as specified, of a-rcgisteiiing tally tor 'recording the game, substantiall' as described.

The :ibov'e specification signed by 'me this ifthday of December, 1866.

l i Gr. LIVINGSTON MORSE.

' In presence off# AMAS. A. REDFIELD, l 1" Y J.' VAN -SANTvoonrr 

